In an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, or a facsimileing machine in which the electrophotographic process is implemented; a latent image formed on a photoreceptor is turned into a visible image using the toner present in a developing device. Hence, development of latent images results in the consumption of the toner. Because of that, it becomes necessary to replenish the developing device with the toner. There, a toner replenishing device, which functions as a powder supplying device installed in the main body of the image forming apparatus, conveys the toner from a toner container, which functions as a powder container, to the developing device. As a result, the developing device is replenished with the toner. Using a developing device that is replenished with the toner in the abovementioned manner, it becomes possible to develop images in a continual manner. Moreover, the toner container is attached to the toner replenishing device in a detachable manner. Hence, when the toner container runs out of the toner, it is replaced with a new toner container that contains the toner.
As toner containers that can be detachably attached to a toner replenishing device, some toner containers are known in which a spiral rib is formed on the inner surface of a cylindrical toner containing member that contains toner (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-241496, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-221825, Japanese Patent No. 4342958, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-202656, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-233247). In the condition in which such a toner container is attached to a toner replenishing device, the toner containing member is rotated so that the toner stored therein is conveyed from one end to the other end in the direction of the rotational axis. Then, from an opening formed at the other end of the toner containing member, the toner is discharged toward the main body of the toner replenishing device.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-276659 is disclosed the following configuration. Regarding a toner container in which a toner containing member is rotated so that the toner stored in the toner containing member is conveyed from one end to the other end, a conveying nozzle fixed to a toner replenishing device is inserted from an opening formed at the other end of the toner containing member. The conveying nozzle that is inserted in the toner container has a toner receiving opening formed in the neighborhood of the end portion at the front end in the direction of insertion of the conveying nozzle. Thus, when inserted in the toner container, the conveying nozzle receives the toner from the toner containing member through the toner receiving opening. Then, the conveying nozzle conveys the toner to the main body of the toner replenishing device. Moreover, in the toner container, inside the opening formed at the other end of the toner containing member, a nozzle insertion member is fixed that has a nozzle insertion opening for enabling insertion of the conveying nozzle. Furthermore, the toner container includes a container shutter that shuts the nozzle insertion opening when the conveying nozzle is not inserted, and opens the nozzle insertion opening at the time of insertion of the conveying nozzle.
In the toner container disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-276659, the nozzle insertion opening is kept shut until the conveying nozzle is inserted. With that, it becomes possible to prevent leakage or scattering of the toner before the toner container is attached to a toner replenishing device. Moreover, when the toner container is attached to a toner replenishing device, the conveying of toner from the toner container into the conveying nozzle of the toner replenishing device is done inside the toner container. As a result, as compared to the method in which the conveying of toner to the toner replenishing device is done on the outside of the toner container, the inside of the toner replenishing device as well as the outer surface of the toner container can be prevented from getting dirty with the scattered toner. For that reason, if the operator pulls out the toner container even after the start of image formation, the operator does not get dirty with the toner.
However, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-276659, there is no disclosure of a holding mechanism that would enable fixing the toner container (toner cartridge) to a toner replenishing device against the restoring force of springs that press the shutter toward the outside. Beyond that, there is no disclosure of a specific configuration that would enable avoiding interference between gears, which are installed for conveying the toner present inside the toner container, and the holding mechanism. Unless a holding mechanism is present that would enable holding the toner container to a toner replenishing device without causing interference with the gears, it is not possible to convey the toner in a stable manner. And it is not possible to supply the toner to the toner replenishing device with preventing toner leakage from the nozzle insertion opening.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a powder container in which a conveying nozzle can be inserted, and the powder container can be held at a replenishable position inside a replenishing device in such a way that a powder can be conveyed from the powder container to the replenishing device in a stable manner; as well as to provide an image forming apparatus that includes the powder container.